


Numb to It

by PeterStark



Series: Marked by Fate [13]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Barry Allen Needs a Hug, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s02e06 Enter Zoom, Hurt/Comfort, Just so it's not all angst, M/M, Protective Oliver, Sharing Pain, Some Humor, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, sort of canon compliant, the world finds out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:14:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27985212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeterStark/pseuds/PeterStark
Summary: The newspapers and the breaking news on the TV were all about the same thing in Central City and Starling. The headlines were pretty close.Starling's Green Arrow Soulmates with Central's FlashA Guardian Angel Soulmates with a KillerCentral City's Hero Injured or Murdered By New Villain?Green Arrow and Flash: Soulmates?They were looking now, of course. For Green Arrow, based on a Mark on a wrist. And of course, the world had no clue as to whether Flash had survived the attack.
Relationships: Barry Allen/Oliver Queen
Series: Marked by Fate [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1564228
Comments: 6
Kudos: 136





	Numb to It

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it took so long. Been distracted and been just tired. I haven't answered all the comments like I normally do. I promise I do read them though and I love all you guys, just haven't had the energy to respond to all of them. Sorry.

It was a run of the mill team-up. Nothing that uncommon, these days. The metahuman of the week was a bit of a pyromaniac, enough so that Barry had almost missed Mick. The meta nearly got the jump on Oliver, but Barry jumped between them, taking the hit for Oliver. His suit handled the fire, for the most part, but the force from the fireball threw him back and he hit his head against the ground, hard.

Barry didn't remember much for a moment. He was sure he blacked out, but he remembered Oliver using his 'I'm very angry' voice when talking to the meta. Then he woke to Oliver's gloved hand on his face. He woke to those concerned eyes looking down at him from behind the mask Barry had made. "Hey, you with me?"

"Mmhm." Barry nodded. "Ow." His head hurt.

"Idiot, jumping in front of me." Oliver shook his head and gently touched Barry's head, trying to find the source of the pain.

"Super healing."

"Yeah, we're going to talk about that later, when you aren't concussed. And I'm going to be very upset with you and you are going to listen."

"I'm sure you'll be convincing." Barry said, frowning when Oliver's fingers found the tender spot in his head. His hand instinctually reached out for Oliver's Mark. He wanted to hold onto something, to ground himself against the pain.

"Sh, you're alright." Oliver promised. "I've got you. I'm not going to lose you." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Barry's lips.

Barry's eyes widened. "Of course you won't." But he realized what his jumping in front of the metaphorical bullet must've done. Oliver must've been so worried.

"I won't let you leave." Oliver agreed with a tight smile. He pressed a hand to his coms. "Overwatch, is it safe to move him?"

"Overwatch?" Cisco's voice came back.

"He forgot what city he's in. Am I the one with the concussion or is it him?" Barry asked with a laugh that made his head hurt and the world spin a little bit. He thought if he could make Oliver laugh it might help, but it only caused Barry's head to ache more.

"Just tell me if it's safe to move him from the streets."

"Yes," Caitlin answered. "It's just a concussion by the looks of it, no other trauma detected. Should be completely safe to move."

"At least one person on your team is on it." Oliver muttered before picking Barry up gently.

"I heard that." Cisco huffed. "Arrow's being sassy today."

Barry's head lolled gently, the world blurring. It would really just be nice to rest his eyes for a moment. He slipped unconscious with his head against Oliver's shoulder.

-

Barry woke to Oliver, hovering over him. His vision wasn't cloudy and he didn't feel dizzy. "Yay super healing."

"We're going to have a talk about that, but let me look at you first." Oliver studied him closely, looking for any damage. "You feel better?"

"Yes. I feel fine." Barry promised.

"I told you he was normal ten minutes ago." Caitlin said, obviously having had this conversation with Oliver before. "Bump on the head, took about fifteen minutes to heal, that's pretty on course for him."

"Thank you, Caitlin. Just...have to make sure." 

Caitlin nodded and turned on Barry. "He's pissed and as your doctor, I don't blame him. So actually try to listen when he shouts at you, won't you?"

"Aren't you on my side?"

Caitlin squeezed his shoulder. "Nope. Team loyalties only hold up when you're right, Barry." She smiled gently. "I'm glad you're alright, though."

"Oh, c'mon. Cisco, a little help?" Barry turned to his friend.

Cisco looked between Barry and Oliver. "You know, actually. I uh... I find the Arrow part of Flarrow to be a bit more intimidating. See, if I side with you, he might stab me, but if I side with him, I'm probably only going to get glared at with those kicked puppy eyes-yeah, like that. So I'm going to side with him on this one to avoid being stabbed." Cisco rambled awkwardly. He saluted them. "Goodnight, and best of luck Barry. Hope you're still alive tomorrow."

"Traitors." Barry muttered before his lips were consumed by a kiss.

"Don't EVER do that again, dumbass." Oliver whispered.

"I can heal, you can't. I was fast enough to get between you, if I would have had the chance to get use both out of the way I would have, but there wasn't enough time. I thought about it, I really did, but I wasn't fast enough to do that. It was logical."

"It was stupid."

"And you've never gotten yourself hurt stupidly?"

Oliver's lips pressed into a line and he raised an 'I'm not impressed or amused by you' eyebrow. "We're not discussing that."

"I'll always save you, Oliver. If I have that chance, it'll always be you."

"Barr-"

"Tell me you wouldn't do the same. Tell me you would let me get hurt if you had the chance to stop it, even if you had to do something 'stupid.' Go ahead. And if you lie, I'm gonna call you on your bullshit."

Oliver sighed. "Of course I'd always save you."

"We're alive and safe now. That's what matters. So less judgement and more kissing, I liked that part better."

Oliver laughed and rolled his eyes. "You're ridiculous."

"And you love me for it."

"Yes. God help me." Oliver cupped Barry's chin and kissed him. "Don't leave me."

"I won't." Barry promised, knowing that the anger that had been in his face had really been fear, fear of losing someone else. 

-

A week later, Barry's phone went off. He didn't recognize the number. He slowly lifted it to his ear. "Hello?"

"You might want to turn on the news." The distorted voice said.

Barry quickly did, then paused. It was a video, a live one,. Not shaky like most were. The newscaster was speaking.

"...seems like someone is trying to get the attention of the Flash. This video is live, but we've yet to see anyone."

"Are you watching?" The voice asked.

"Yes, what do you want me to see?" Barry demanded.

A body moved in the video. "Flash," Zoom's voice said. "Funny, didn't think the White Knight of Central City cared so much for Starling's vigilante." The lights came on in the frame and Oliver, thankfully in his suit, was chained up, his arms bound above his head, his toes barely touched the ground, his face heavily shadowed. But Barry could tell it was him by the build, by the hood. Oliver wouldn't let someone else take that hood. "You'll want proof, of course." He moved forward and pulled down Oliver's sleeve forcefully. Oliver struggled, even landed a kick against Zoom. But there it was, Barry's red Mark on Oliver's wrist, out there for everyone to see. "I want to see how fast you are, Flash. Let's call it a...race. Here's the rules." Zoom put his hand on Oliver's throat. "Can you find me before I snap your soulmate's neck?"

"Don't...be an idiot." Oliver rasped out.

Barry nodded. He knew exactly what Oliver meant. He ran. He'd been warned, of course, that Zoom was faster than him, meaner, scarier. But fucking hell, he was fast. It hadn't taken long for Barry to find them, to case the environment. And he quickly broke Oliver out. He went to pick up the archer as his body sunk to the floor, but Zoom was on him in an instant.

Oliver's knees hit the floor and he started to work his own way out. "Run." He muttered to Barry. "Flash. GO!"

"Get off your ass, Arrow." Barry retorted breathlessly before he rushed off. He'd like to say Zoom followed him, but Zoom didn't just follow him. Zoom was faster than him. And Zoom was toying with him. Barry saw Zoom in front of him. The faster speedster swept his feet out from under him. Barry hit the ground before he could catch himself.

Barry rolled, his body aching as it hit the ground many times, but he got himself upright. "What do you want from me?"

"Everything." Zoom said.

"You shouldn't have brought my soulmate into this." He glared at the other speedster.

"Oh, but I did. Now I know how fast you are. Now I know, next time, when I have him, you WON'T be fast enough to get to me before I snap his neck."

Barry felt his hands clench. No. They were NOT doing this. He would do something. He would find a way to stop Zoom. Lightning. Maybe he could throw lightning. He ran. 

"Barry, we're here." Cisco said. "Oliver's safe, BTW. He's heading towards Star Labs. Harry's coming out to help you."

"Okay." Barry said. He threw lightning at Zoom, but before it landed, it hit him instead. "AH!"

"You can't beat me, Flash."

Barry's eyes widened and he tried. He tried everything he could think of, but he just wasn't fucking fast enough. Zoom was right...he really could kill anyone at this right...including Oliver. He knew who Barry's soulmate was. He knew. It fucking terrified Barry.

Then, the monster broke his back.

-

Oliver was nearly to Star Labs when pain shot through him, so awful and powerful that he nearly drove off the road. It took every inch of his control to pull to the side and stop. The white hot pain burned in his wrist, then radiated throughout his whole body. "Barry...fuck." Oliver's legs felt heavy, like he couldn't lift them, couldn't move them. He put the car in park and pressed his hands to his legs. 

Oh. They were still there. He could feel them, but it was...like they were asleep, damn near dead weight. Something bad had happened to Barry. Oliver pulled out his phone and called Star Labs.

"O-Oliver?" Caitlin sounded like she was sobbing.

"Barry...where's Barry?" Oliver asked, trying to massage feeling back into his legs. The agony in his wrist was gone, more like a dull ache, but his legs, they still felt numb.

"Zoom...he...he..."

"Breathe, Caitlin." Oliver almost went off on her, but he knew she wasn't used to that. Felicity often took his moods and dished back her own, but Caitlin...he knew he couldn't just go off his emotions, not right now. "Caitlin...what happened?"

"Barry's in front of me...he's badly injured. Zoom ran off..." Caitlin was obviously working, looking Barry over as they spoke. Oliver could hear it in the background. "Wait. CISCO DON'T!" Caitlin shouted suddenly. "Don't move him!"

"WHAT? Why?!" Cisco asked, his voice carrying through the phone.

"I think..." Caitlin whispered. "Oliver, how do you feel right now?"

"Whatever he did to Barry hurt, really bad. It was horrible. Now it's sort of...numb. I ache, but...my legs feel really heavy." Oliver finally felt some feeling in them again. He slowly shifted them, trying to see if he felt confident to drive.

"Cisco, go get the board... Oliver?"

"Yeah?"

"I haven't taken an MRI...but, given how he's positioned and what you feel....I think... I think Zoom broke Barry's back. I think...there's spinal damage. He also injected him with something to take his speed. We're going to have to help kickstart his healing again. I need you here if you're safe to drive. Things like this...they seem to go better when soulmates are closer together."

"I'll be there soon, please help him, Caitlin."

"Always, Oliver. Cisco, help. Harry! We're going to need you too. Oliver, I'm going to let you go. I need to start work now."

"Please do." Oliver nodded and hung up. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the steering wheel. He still hurt, his legs were still heavy. But Barry. He needed to be there for Barry. This...would crush the speedster. Oliver forced his legs to move and he drove.

-

Barry was so still, too still. Oliver sat by his side, holding his hand.

"We can't ask him...but, how do you feel?" Caitlin asked, concerned.

"It's hard to move my legs. It's like they're made of lead and I...can't feel them very well... I think."

"The MRI I took...the damage done to his spinal cord. He's likely paralyzed." Caitlin said slowly.

Oliver's jaw quivered and he bit his lip. He took a deep breath to regain control of himself. "Is he going to be okay?"

"His healing is remarkable. I think he has a good chance of physical recovery but...mentally it may be a while." Caitlin whispered.

"I'll be here." Oliver whispered.

-

The newspapers and the breaking news on the TV were all about the same thing in Central City and Starling. The headlines were pretty close.

Starling's Green Arrow Soulmates with Central's Flash

A Guardian Angel Soulmates with a Killer

Central City's Hero Injured or Murdered By New Villain?

Green Arrow and Flash: Soulmates?

They were looking now, of course. For Green Arrow, based on a Mark on a wrist. And of course, the world had no clue as to whether Flash had survived the attack. And they were all so confused as to how someone who brought on such a dark reckoning on his city could be paired with the Flash, someone considered a saint by his city.

Oliver was numb to it, really. He'd dealt with all these sorts of tabloids and news articles before. He was far more concerned with Barry. But Barry had a broken back and woke, unable to walk or even stand, on top of the news losing their minds, questioning everything and assuming he was dead, defeated.

Oliver kept the news off, though he knew Barry'd seen it all once he'd opened his phone.

"Oliver...I...I don't think I can do this."

He reached out and wiped the tears off of Barry's cheeks. "You can. Want to know how I know?"

Barry closed his eyes and shook his head. He looked just so damn defeated. "I can't. I couldn't even protect you, Oli. If he wanted to kill you...he would have. He...he's already won. I can't even stand up, Oliver. I...I'm nothing."

"Don't say that, Barr. You are the strongest person I know. And Caitlin says you're healing. You're going to make it."

"Even at full health, I'm not fast enough, Oliver. I can't...I can't lose everything. I can't lose you."

"You won't. Speed isn't everything, Barry." Oliver promised and put his hand over Barry's heart. "This is everything. You had the heart of a hero, long before those legs of yours ran a mile a minute...or whatever it is you've maxed out at."

Tears ran down Barry's cheeks. "I failed."

"Sh..." Oliver shook his head and reached up, gently wrapping his fingers around Barry's neck. He wanted Barry to feel his love, his support, his silent promise to be right there for him, no matter what.

Barry grabbed his hand and pushed him away.

Briefly, Oliver felt Barry's emotions when his fingers grazed the Mark on Oliver's wrists. But what he felt...was numbness. A broken, sad void. One that Oliver knew in his own way from when he'd been on the island. He never imagined his happy, huge-hearted Barry would ever feel so...empty inside. "I just...I want some rest, Oli."

"Okay. But I'm staying right here. You aren't alone." Oliver promised, leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss to Barry's forehead. "You're not alone. I love you."

Barry closed his eyes and turned his head away. 

He didn't say it back.

But even at that, Oliver didn't let go of his hand.

He wouldn't. And he wouldn't ask Barry to be happy when he wasn't or to smile when he couldn't. Oliver pressed his head to Barry's shoulder and closed his eyes. "I'm here...and we'll figure this out. You're not alone." I love you. Oliver didn't say it aloud again, but he meant it.

**Author's Note:**

> Take care.


End file.
